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Tech Spark Academy sparks children's curiosity about the digital world. It prepares them for a future reliant on computer science, and jobs that do not yet exist. This is not because they will all be computer scientists, but because they will have plenty of computer science in their lives. Learn programming, digital storytelling, or how to create apps! The fact that we are all dependant on IT and only 0.5% of the world's population knows how to code is mind-blowing. This highlights how reliant the other 99.5% of us are, on that small fraction of the population that does know how to code. Our digital lives are in their hands! With children, there is a fine line between how much exposure to computers/screens/IT to give them. We want to equip them for the future without losing them to the digital world (at least that's how I feel). Tech Spark demystifies coding and computer language. It offers children between the ages of 8-18 an opportunity to learn in an open and friendly environment . Instructors have small groups, allowing for lots of 1:1 interaction with the instructors. The skills they learn will remain useful throughout their lives. Holiday camps are available, as well as after school private lessons for up to 2 children. Why not partner with another family and enroll both children in the lesson? Our readers benefit from a CHF50.- discount with the LIN code to use upon reservation. Here are some of the types of programming TechSpark offers and a short definition of each. Python is a programming language that has a clear and easy to use code. It is a widely supported language easily adaptable to large and small scale projects. It is mostly used for web applications and web content. YouTube, Instagram and Google search are all written in Python, as are many AI applications. Fun fact: the language was named after Monty Python! Swift is a programming language developed by Apple to encourage young programmers. It is a more complex language than Python but is still simpler than traditional coding languages. Learning Swift is ideal for those that already have some knowledge of Python. This is the one that is mainly used to develop apps. Adobe digital storytelling is what those aspiring YouTubers want to learn. This class allows it's students to use and combine various elements like video, photography, editing, and storytelling skills. Instructors are students from Lausanne's prestigious engineering university EPFL (or the ETHZ if you are in eastern Switzerland). They are bilingual in English and French. Students focus on building their own projects , these are presented to the parents at the end of the course or the camp. Currently, many of the lessons are virtual due to the COVID pandemic. You can contact Tech Spark directly for any questions or for more information. The link leads you to Marta Gehring who is one of the co-founders and passionate about the topic. She will gladly provide more insight. You can also follow TechSpark on Twitter and on Instagram .

The "Corona Diaries" is a series of articles on how local people from different industries and businesses experience the pandemic. Thank you to Eden Grace for the initiative, writing the articles, and for the insight. "How has 2020 changed you?"  This year was a collective shock and a very personal experience at the same time. Social, economic and political magnitudes of this year are amply debated. But we cannot deny the emotional impacts too. This "Corona diaries" series is about how real people, living and working on La Côte, have adapted to Covid. I also wanted to know how they have allowed this period to reshape them. Thank you to Uli Van Neyghem , our first guest for her participation. As an artist, she has been fortunate enough to continue working in her field. She has found comfort in documenting the small pleasures of this strange time we are all experiencing. Uli created a Lockdown Collection called 'Here and Now'. Q: Uli, What inspired you for the collection, and what is it about? A: We have all been confronted with unprecedented times by the pandemic. Being locked down for a considerable time of the year has taken the speed out of our lives. How did that affect us? Rather than concentrating on the fear, news headlines and infection rate statistics, I needed to find upsides to keep my sanity. I asked myself whether it was possible that 2020 taught us to be more present and to live more in the moment? That we don't always have to look far and wide to find contentment? I think we can answer this question with a definite yes. Never before have there been so many people out and about in nature, rediscovering simple outdoor pleasures. Picnics and lighting a fire to roast sausages in the Jura is replacing pre-pandemic city trips or shopping sprees. Pastimes are being rediscovered. Taking the time to read a good book, the comforting pleasures of baking and cooking, or a relaxing soak in the bathtub are making a comeback. My 'Here and Now' collection explores these quiet moments. Q: How much of yourself is present in this collection? I use art to find inner peace and balance. That is visible in the serene atmospheres I create in all my paintings. The still lifes with reflections, the calm lake scenes, or the 'Here and Now' collection, for that matter. My art has also always helped me to adapt to new realities or environments. When we moved here in 2011, I started painting Switzerland-inspired themes like the surrounding landscapes or my signature collection of Swiss cows for example. It was my way of growing roots in a new place. Painting a Lockdown collection to reflect on our changing world in these unprecedented times, is my way of getting to terms with it and coping. Q: You create from a place of inner peace. How have you managed to maintain that space for yourself given the tumultuous nature of these times? I will not lie, it has not always been easy or even possible to drown out the noise of the media coverage or shake the feeling of being paralyzed. It would be easier if I was one of those artists who work off their anger or frustration by slapping paint on a canvas! We can't be positive about what is happening all of the time, I try to be kind to myself and trust my creative nature to resurface again after momentary dips. Q: What have you found to be the most challenging aspect of being an artist during the coronavirus? Not being able to physically exhibit my paintings is very difficult and requires spending a lot of time on social media to find electronic ways of presenting my art. But it does not replace the inspiring exchanges taking place during art fairs or exhibitions. I am also a co-founder of Collaborative Art ™ , offering creative team building and event experiences worldwide. Needless to say, the pandemic brought our activities in this field to a full-stop. Q: With social, cultural events and exhibitions on the back burner, do you think we value creativity and art differently? That is difficult to say. In times of crisis, culture is more important than ever. Millions of us are (semi) confined in our homes. Music, films, satire, books, and online performances represent a source of consolation and hope. Artists and museums all over the world are working hard to adapt and deliver art in more creative ways than ever. But the economic pressure is enormous. Let's not forget, a large number of people are already working with a high level of commitment but a very low level of security, especially in economic terms. There is a real danger of losing much of the richness and diversity of the regional and global cultural scene. We might not be able to recover from this 'culture shock' for many years. Initiatives to support the arts and culture sector on a governmental and political level give some cause for optimism. Whether our life remains 'colourful' and our 'spiritual food' diverse is up to our society now. Have a look at Uli's website or follow her activity on Instagram to see more of her beautiful artwork! Or contact er directly with any questions you may have:  Uli Van Neyghem

Nyon's police force covers Nyon, Prangins and Crans. How are they structured and what are the typical interventions? And who are Buffy and Quenzi that form a brigade of their own? Thank you very much to Laurence Dufour, in charge of communication at Nyon Police for answering the questions so openly and providing interesting insights into the workings of the local police! The Police of the Nyon region's (PNR) general mission is to ensure the security, tranquility and maintenance of order in its territory. They ensure a continuous presence in the field, which revolves around traffic control (speed, vehicle compliance, traffic rules), management of problems related to incivility (noise pollution, littering, breaches of the Police Regulations, damage to property, etc.), and offenses committed in the territory (burglaries, theft, domestic violence, cybercrime, etc.). Due to the current pandemic, the police station regularly provides clarifications on the health measures implemented by the Canton and the Federation. When it comes to road development matters, the PNR has only an advisory opinion. This task is the responsibility of the "Service Travaux, environnement et mobilité" of the City of Nyon. The Nyon police force has six brigades. The brigades are made up of teams with highly complementary skills in terms of background, training, experience etc. This allows for combined knowledge and strengths that can be used when analysing a problem they may be faced with. The chefs of the brigade independently manage their brigade's performance and motivation. Operational decisions are taken by the head of the police. The canine brigade - Meet Buffy and Quenzi The PNR has a canine brigade (called K9) made up of two dog handlers and two Belgian Shepard dogs, Buffy and Quenzi! This is a brigade affiliated with the Police-Secours division of the PNR. A police dog typically has a career of nine to ten years. Dogs specializing in the field of narcotics often continue to "work" even after their retirement. Their experience remains very useful to the police. Defense dogs differ from dogs specialized in narcotics. Defense dogs have missions such as searching for and neutralising fugitives or suspects. They also help search for people on the location of an offense, join in patrols and surveillance, and help search for objects or weapons. The drug dog, on the other hand, is trained to look for narcotics. The training lasts about a year and covers all drugs and their derivatives commonly found on the market. The dog is never in direct contact with drugs, it warns his handler when it detects the smell of narcotics by freezing at the location of the find. The dogs are also trained to find banknotes! These are closely linked to the trade in narcotic products. A new police station is underway The construction notice for the new police station has been submitted to the Municipal Council. This will be determined at the start of 2021. The construction loan needs to be validated and a referendum period of 14 days held. Once this is done, the work can begin and last approximately 2 years. The new police station will be located next to the fire station, on the Route de Divonne. Police Nyon Région 24h/24h 10, place du Château 1260 Nyon Tél: 022 799 17 17 or 117 www.police-nyon-region.ch

The Swiss are polite, punctual and very attached to privacy. What lies beneath these values so strongly ingrained? This informative series of short articles: "Inside Switzerland" is brought to Living in Nyon thanks to Jon Wyler. It gives us some insight into our wonderfully complex and highly efficient country. We've covered the history , and the rostigraben . t's time to take a closer look at the values that span across the country, regardless of the countless differences. Values Certain values are common throughout Switzerland, like punctuality and politeness or an expectation to comply with local customs and language. Some can be associated with “farmer values” - strong work ethic, responsibility, or independence. There are differences between rural and urban areas, best not to tell your colleague in Geneva you admire his/her “farmer values”. What these mean: Politeness: Saying hello and good-bye in shops, doctor’s offices, to neighbours, etc. Being polite is not simply the result of not being distant or cold. Punctuality: This is a sign of respect, showing that the other person’s time is as valuable as yours. It also shows you are organised and reliable. Privacy: You are entitled to privacy, and it’s expected that you will not be intrusive. Personal questions are reserved for close friends and family. Environment: Swiss understand their environment is their biggest asset and need to protect it. This starts with small gestures like recycling and not littering. Patriotism: Swiss love their country and are proud of it, but identify with their cantons. Independence: From other countries, international unions, and as much as possible the federal government. The independence provided through direct democracy is considered one of the key reasons Switzerland voted against joining the EU on several occasions. Next up in this series is integration. What efforts are useful to make? The good news is; liking local wine and cheese counts! Yes! Jon Wyler is a Swiss/Luxembourg bi-national, who grew up between Geneva, Hawaii and Beijing. Hospitality-trained, he has for most of his life followed his passion working in live music production, which took him around the world. Jon recently settled on the shores of lake Neuchâtel with his German wife who’s trying to figure out the in’s & out’s of her adopted country.

The estimated rate of failure for expatriation missions revolves around 40-50%. One of the main reasons is difficulty to adapt to the new country. This can be the person's own feeling, or that of his/her family. Thank you to Laurine Chiarini from International Link , an initiative of the Vaud chamber of commerce and industry (CVCI). They provide a wealth of information regarding Vaud, its culture, the opportunities that exist and the support you can find. Vaud is home to more than 50 international sports federations, 7 technology parks, dozens of multinational companies and several universities and specialized schools. It is also the main centre for research and innovation in Switzerland. These organizations provide jobs, develop partnerships with local institutions and work with local providers. Such companies usually employ a high number of foreign staff which brings a fair share of challenges. For example, integration can be an issue for the employees and their families. In fact, several studies point out that family challenges and a spouse’s career are the main barriers to mobility. This is a problem that comes at a high cost for companies. International Link is an initiative of the Vaud chamber of commerce and industry (CVCI), that aims to support the local integration of foreign organizations and their employees. It offers services and events in English designed for an audience with no prior knowledge of the local economic or political fabric. What are the specifics of the Swiss employment law? How to start up a business? How does the Swiss system of apprenticeship work? These are some of the topics typically addressed by International Link. Since family and spouses play a vital part in successful integration, some events are dedicated specifically to them. These include local company visits, a welcome day where children can join and a series of “Reloc’coffees”. These are all created to support the professional and personal integration of expat partners. Spouses frequently represent a highly skilled and experienced potential for the workforce. Participants get to learn useful information while networking with other international people. The local culinary scene is an essential part of integration too! After all, tasting a bright green carac (a typical Vaudois pastry filled with chocolate ganache), or debating on whether Cenovis can measure up to Marmite is also part of the expat experience. For more information have a look at their site here . Join one of their events or contact them for any support you may be looking for. Local specialties: For cheese lovers, but not only

Yesterday the federal Council gave an update on the measures to respect in an effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus further. They hope no further restrictions will be necessary after these. So do we! The Federal Office of Public Health reported 3001 additional cases of the virus in 24 hours on Wednesday (13th of February) as well as unfortunately another 58 deceased. 10.32% of the tests come back positive and there are currently 147 patients hospitalized. Currently, we are at a rate of 477.5 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This is an overview of the new measures: As of Monday all non-essential shops will be closed. Supermarkets and other "essential" shops selling everyday consumer goods will remain open. Working from home is now once again mandatory where possible Private gatherings are restricted to 5 people Restaurants, sports and leisure facilities and cultural centres will remain closed until the 28th of February An extension of financial government aid has been announced Masks should be worn in proximity of others Read up on some more information on Swissinfo here .

Spending more time at home, also means we have more time to tend to our gardens, growing our own vegetables and enjoying the plants and trees in general. Join the webinar on the 25th of January, 18:00 by the Ecole club Migros on gardening and nature. Gardening retail is one of the industries that has spiked during the COVID lockdowns and "slowdowns". We take to our own gardens but also to nature in general as a way of relaxing and coping with the pandemic through the beauty of nature. If that is you too, then this might be perfect you: The Ecole club Migros now has a course specially developed find ways to reconnect in a meaningful manner with the world outside our front door. It's aimed at learning how to grow environmentally sound and abundant gardens, taking walks in local forests and reclaiming our innate desire to better understand the earth's cycles. Meetings will be held throughout the year to explore applications of Permaculture, soil science and nature deficit disorder. We will also meet for hands-on classes in family gardens to build compost, create raised beds and learn by doing. These meetings will be a mix between in-person and virtual depending on the sanitary situation. The Webinar is held on the 25th of January at 18:00 in English, and will walk you through the information and the outline of the course . Find out more about it during the webinar. Seats are free but limited at 20 people. Happy gardening!

The current times of uncertainty have brought with it a lot of professional development questions. Whether wanted or unwanted -> what next step to take in my career? is playing on a lot of minds. A recent Deloitte study found almost 2/3 of the Swiss labour market has experienced a negative impact on their careers since the arrival of COVID-19. The pandemic has created a shift in career development expectations across the world. Loss of jobs, burn-out linked to uncertainty and/or isolation are common occurrences these past few months. Workplace social-distancing or working with protective gear has impacted many. Not only are the working conditions altered, but the slowing down in the pace of life has also made way for reflection on a personal level. Being specialised in career development, I hear these questions over and over: Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life? Where are my talents best put to use? How do I align my work-life more harmoniously.  If these questions are playing on your mind too, sign up for the Get Unstuck Professionally workshop I'm holding on Thursday at 11:00 (28th of January). It's a free and live workshop held in English and I'm full of tips and tricks you can use to get a handle on those elusive questions! You can find more information and a sign up for here . I would love to see you there if the topic is for you! Mandy

Schilliger's garden centre in Gland aims to "cultivate inspiration". And indeed it does. Its seasonal store decorations for inside and outside never fail to impress young and old alike. But what about the story behind the company? Schilliger was founded in 1945 by Maurice Schilliger (links in French) and is still today a family run business by the second and third generations. This fact is one of the defining parts of its corporate identity and culture of business. Aside from the passion for plants and horticulture, their drivers are inspiration, harmony, authenticity, and very high standards for quality. By 1955 Schilliger was the main supplier of Geneva florists and trade retail and in 1968 the shop started selling a mix of plants and gardening equipment. A small space for decoration was added by Agnès Schilliger, Maurice’s wife, next to the floristry sector she was in charge of. The transition of management from one generation to the next took place in 1990 which allows further possibilities to develop the universe of the brand. This is oriented towards the sale of plants but also towards the art of living in the garden as well as at home with furniture and decorations that reflect a unique and authentic style. Today, the store offers keep evolving and growing towards a global art of living. Last year Schilliger turned 75 years old and today it counts 250 employees and 3 garden centres in Gland (VD), Plan-les-Ouates (GE) and Matran (FR). The large majority of seasonal plants, perennials and nursery plants, are cultivated directly in their own greenhouses in Gland Aside from the in and outdoor offerings, Café Agnès (now you know where the name came from!) a restaurant nestled within the tropical greenhouse of the Garden Center, allows for a tasty moment of relaxation! Due to the current restrictions, it is unfortunately closed until the 28th of February. The future of Schilliger remains firmly rooted in its horticulture origins but seeks more and more to use this channel to provide its customers with experiences and emotions. Seasonal exhibitions and events are becoming part of our lives as locals with every season offering new and magical entertainment for all. The spring seasons in full bloom, autumn with its pumpkin expositions and the Christmas season is not complete without a visit of the shop and the Christmas markets. Luckily they remain open (with hygiene restrictions accordingly implemented) even during this time of semi-confinement to provide a welcome break from our limited movements! Nevertheless, the shop does not fail to impress and offers the opportunity to bring beauty and harmony into our own lives! The online boutique is also available for a wide variety of products (all except the actual plants) to browse from the comfort of your own home. You can also follow them on Facebook and/or Instagram to get your doses of inspiration and daydreams delivered to your screen!

The toy library in Nyon offers a wide variety of toys and games for young and old. The perfect activity for those long days at home! The first game library was created in 1934 in Los Angeles. Europe's first one was in Copenhagen and Switzerland's first one was not until 1972 in Münchenstein . The toy library in Nyon was opened in 1978 and is run by volunteers. It's for everyone! Parents looking for early learning toys for their baby, musical instruments, puzzles and costumes. There is a large variety of board games available for children from the age of 2 to 102! The "Ludotheque" - the French term for a toy library - also caters to company game evenings, the UAPE (after-school care) as well as giant games for parties or birthdays. You can register very easily at the shop or on the website. Rentals are yours for a month and there are 3 subscriptions to choose from: Basic , M ini and M axi that range in price from CHF30.- to CHF90.- per year, depending on volume and frequency :-) The "novelty" aspect is appealing to children (and adults) and the concept allows you and your children to try out a variety of different things every month and find what works best for your family. A yearly subscription and the rental costs of the games are much lower than purchasing them, which are often far to space-consuming for most of us anyway. Games are rented and re-rented so they get a good usage rather than living in dark cupboards for months and years before being thrown away or painfully given away. The library does not sell any games although if they receive games that cannot be used, they are made available to the members generally once a year in November in a barter sale at low prices (although unfortunately last year's one was canceled). At a barter, anyone can drop in games they want to sell and then get their money back at the end of the sale day. A membership as a gift voucher is also available for those always on the lookout for original gifts! The arrival of COVID-19 required some adaptation, people can now order games and collect them at a predefined time for example. They still remain open, but are limited in terms of people and are currently asking people to come alone to make a selection and stay as short a time as possible to leave room for others too. Games are also "quarantined" meaning that there are 72-hour gaps between exchanges. Post COVID restrictions the Ludothèque is hoping to restart the monthly board game night's again. Get in touch with them for questions or more information directly , the several members of the committee speak English and they are happy to help you.

Some 90’000 foreign nationals are eligible to vote in local elections in Vaud. Are you one of them? Here's why you should exercise your right. Thank you to Evren Kiefer who is on the Green party's list for the conseil communal. He has provided Living in Nyon with this article that provides a clear overview of who is eligible to vote and how the system works. Campaigns for local elections are underway in Nyon. As well as in every other village and town of the Canton de Vaud. The first round of voting will be on March 7th . We're electing the local authorities. And you might be eligible to take part even if you're not a Swiss national. At the municipal level, residents who have • lived in Switzerland for 10 years, • in the Canton de Vaud for the last 3 years, • and now have a B or C residency permit are eligible to vote, get elected and petition the authorities. If you're eligible, you should get your voting material in the mail. Full information is available in French on the canton’s website and Nyon’s website . Make your voice heard! Deciding who will govern the town over the next five years is a huge deal. They will decide how the town recovers from Covid. Have outstanding influence over which projects get priority in Nyon's development. And, of course, our attitude towards the climate crisis is also on the ballot. We'll be electing the conseil communal and the municipalité. The conseil communal oversees the city's management. It votes the city budgets and bylaws. In Nyon, the assembly has 100 councilors. They are elected by the proportional-representation system. The municipalité is the city's government. In Nyon, 7 people including one syndic (mayor) compose the municipality. They manage the day-to-day affairs of the city and enact the decisions of the council. They are elected by the majority vote in two rounds with another election for the mayor. You'll find full details in French about how all this works here . Or you can also read one of our previous articles on Living in Nyon here , provided by Robert Jenefsky with further details on the running of the local elections. On the 16th of February, an event to encourage open exchanges and dialogue entitled "Dialogue en ligne - Echange avec les habitant.e.s pour la Ville de demain" is organised (in French) in the run-up to the elections. Find out more about each party and the candidates and ask your own questions too. You can get more information and sign up here . The participants are: Daniel Rossellat ( Syndic ) Elise Buckle ( Les Vert.e.s ) Pierre Wahlen ( Les Vert.e.s ) Schmutz ( PS ) Alexandre Démétriadès ( PS ) Each party has a booth at the market every Saturday up to the election. You can meet lots of candidates from different parties there and ask them questions. As we are candidates with the Green party, we will also be there to inform you about our policies and agenda.

Next up in this series is integration. What efforts are useful to make? The good news is; liking local wine and cheese counts! Yes! This informative series of short articles: “Inside Switzerland” is brought to Living in Nyon thanks to Jon Wyler. It gives us some insight into our wonderfully complex and highly efficient country . So now what? It's time to put the new-found knowledge to the test and use it to integrate better. If you want to integrate into Switzerland, you’re going to have to work for it. The Swiss don’t really strike up conversations with strangers in a bar, and although often multi-lingual prefer speaking their own language. The first step is learning the local language, or at least the basics to demonstrate your interest. Don’t worry about accuracy, the Romands* rarely use perfect French; preferring local variations and sometimes even German words. You may for example hear the term "putzer" used for cleaning instead of the more traditional "nettoyer". Have a look at the list of differences between Swiss-French and... French-French here . Dpending on the region there are quite a few foreigners so locals can feel a bit outnumbered. In Geneva, actual Genevois* are estimated to be less than half the city’s 58% Swiss population. By understanding a little about the local history, showing interest in local products (think wine & cheese), or getting involved with community activities whilst conversing in the local language, you might just make a friend. For a bit of fun, have a look at this tutorial on"Making a Swiss friend" :-) *People in the French-speaking part of Switzerland *German very close to the language spoken in Germany *People with both parents originally Swiss & born in Geneva ----------------------------------- Jon Wyler is a Swiss/Luxembourg bi-national, who grew up between Geneva, Hawaii and Beijing. Hospitality-trained, he has for most of his life followed his passion working in live music production, which took him around the world. Jon recently settled on the shores of lake Neuchâtel with his German wife who’s trying to figure out the in’s & out’s of her adopted country.